1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an improved compact and lightweight picnic or patio bench table having removable parts suitable for being securely assembled when in use and compact and easy to handle when ready to be transported and stored. The improved compact bench table of the present invention has at least five integral parts to maximize compactness, easy to assemble and simultaneous rigidity. In order to permit stability from outside natural elements, such as wind, the improved compact bench table is provided with a plurality of aperture means in a table top support passing therethrough. Additionally, a plurality of ribbings therethroughout each removable part may be integrally incorporated as a part thereof to permit structural strength for accommodating concentrated stresses exerted thereto.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
In order to provide a table that may be easily transported to and from a desired area; such as, a camp ground, public park, or a mere house or apartment patio, it is essential to provide a picnic table that incorporates therein compact and lightweight removable parts and suitable for easy and rapid assembling or disassembling. Such a table may be necessitated by perhaps the tendency for public parks to be overcrowded, especially during the summer months, and thus decreasing the chances of availability of public park picnic benches. Moreover, a patio bench table that does not utilize removable parts tend not to be stored indoors by a homeowner or apartment landlord and is thereby left continuously outdoors to fend the variegated extreme elements of the weather which causes rapid deterioration of said bench table.
In order to provide a bench table to alleviate the abovementioned problems, it is known in the related art to provide a removable combination bench and table set as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,189,379 filed on Dec. 23, 1963 and issued on June 15, 1965 to H. W. Potter; a picnic table having multiple removable parts in U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,245 filed on Jan. 21, 1966 and issued on Jan. 24, 1967 to F. J. Rumble; circular table and seat construction having slotted pieces for attaching therewith in U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,152 filed on Oct. 21, 1971 and issued on Sept. 11, 1973 to Gary F. Lake; and a knock-down mobile picnic table and bench assembly having apertures passing through bench seats and a table top to permit accommodation of protruding members originating from part members in U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,305 filed on Mar. 29, 1977 and issued on Feb. 28, 1978 to D. Sullivan.
In the patent issued to H. W. Potter, however, a plurality of a combination of hinges and bolts are used to attach a multiple of parts to an integrated bench top and seat supports thereby considerably decreasing the time and increasing the inconvenience for assembling or disassembling of the various bulky parts. In the Rumble and Sullivan patents, slotted portions pass through the table top, as well as the bench seats to permit protruding members originating from the table top support and bench seat supports to be accommodated therein, respectively. The significant disadvantages in both the Rumble and Sullivan patents include the tendencies of said protruding members to be severed and, if not properly manufactured to desired specifications, will extend beyond the top surfaces of the table top and bench seats which precludes the efficient use of the above-mentioned parts, especially if precious seating or table top spaces are essential to fully take advantage of the benefits desired of the table and bench assembly. In the patent by Lake, a circular table and continuous seat construction are fabricated from a single sheet of rectangular material to permit the assembling of a plurality of parts including distinguishable support members for spacing and joining thereto the circular table top and continuous circular table seat. The structure of Lake's table and seat construction precludes rapid disassembling and compact joining of the plurality of parts for storage and transportation when not in use.
A need was therefore felt to provide an improved compact and lightweight bench table having removable parts for easy and rapid assembling and disassembling for full effective utility of all its parts.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved compact and lightweight bench table having removable parts which can be rapidly assembled absent any extensive parts which are not integral parts of said invention when fully assembled.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved compact and lightweight bench table having removable parts which makes use of all its parts at a maximum and thereby providing optimum efficiency in its use.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved compact and lightweight bench table having removable parts suitable for rapid disassembly and compact accommodation with each other to allow easy transportation and effective storage.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved compact and lightweight bench table which can accommodate a minimum number of removable parts, preferably at least five distinguishing parts, to allow effective and rapid assembling and disassembling of said parts to form a sturdy bench table for use in a picnic or outdoors in a patio.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an improved compact and lightweight bench table which may have a plurality of ribbing means which may be incorporated into the plurality of removable parts to permit accommodation therefrom of exerted stresses thereto.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an improved compact and lightweight bench table which can be easily and economically produced, yet sturdy in construction and highly efficient in operation.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an improved compact and lightweight bench table which is constructed with extreme simplicity, embodying single removable parts, and therefore capable of being retailed for a low price, long-lasting in use, and convenient to handle.